Cohen, 35, creator of Ali G, has infuriated the Kazakhstan government with his portrayal of Borat, a bumbling Kazakh TV presenter.

And now a movie of Borat's adventures in the US has caused a diplomatic incident.

The opening scene, which shows Borat lustily kissing his sister goodbye and setting off for America in a car pulled by a horse, had audiences in stitches when it was first shown last week.

But the film, which has just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, has prompted a swift reaction from the Kazakhstan government, which is launching a PR blitz in the States.

Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev is to fly to the US to meet President Bush in the coming weeks and on the agenda will be his country's image.

Sounds funny to me, or at least very silly. The Kazakhstan president might want to save his money. I don't think a comic's version of any country steers opinion--it just pokes fun. If he's upset, has he seen Peter Seller's take on the French? Or Monty Python's take on the English? Or that Canadian guy's take on the Americans? We're all ridiculous in our own way.